Thill-coupling.



L. W. WARD.

THILL COUPLING.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNB4,1906.

INVENTOR.

.Zliayd WWard,

A TTORNE Y5 PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

LLOYD W. WARD, OF BUCKHANNON, l/VEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOWILLIAM S. OBRIEN, OF BUOKHANNON, WEST VIRGINIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed June 4,1906. Serial No. 320,106.

can be attached to or detached from the body portion when in raisedposition and firmly locked thereon against accidental detachment when inhorizontal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling of thecharacter set forth which can be lubricated, if desired, to permit aneasy up-and-down movement of the shafts without creaking and which ispro- 'vided with improved means for protecting the lubricated parts, soas to prevent the entrance of grit, dirt, rain, or the like.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved means forholding the parts of the coupling yieldingly together and for preventingthem from rattling in the event that they should become worn; fur-'thermore, to hold the shafts in vertical raised position when thevehicle is not in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

In the accompanying'drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure lie 2. perspective view of a thill-coupling constructed inaccordance with the invention, the axle member and the shaft memberbeing shown in separated position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section throughthe two members. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, partly in elevation.Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a slightly-modifiedconstruction.

Like reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in the differentfigures of the drawings.

The improved thill-coupling of this invention, broadly speaking,comprises two membersan axle member (designated generally byA) and ashaft member, (designated byB.)

The axle member A consists, preferably, of a U-shaped axle-clamp'l,which is formed with threaded parallel ends 2 and 3 the end 2 having alug or offset 4 and the end 3 having laterally-extending shoulders 5.The axle-clamp 1 is fitted around'the axle 6 in the usual manner and isprovided with a cross-piece 7, having perforated ends to receive thethreaded parallel ends 2 and 3 of the clamp, said cross-piece restingagainst the lower surface of the axle as well as against the offset 4and shoulders 5. The cross-piece 7 preferably is secured in position bymeans of nuts 8 engaging the threaded ends 2 and 3.

Suitably secured to or formed integral with the laterally-extendingshoulders 5 of.

the clamp lis a forwardly-extending yoke I 9, in which a core 10 issuspended by means of trunnions 11. The core 10 may be either circularin shape, as shown in Fig. 1, or segmental in shape, as shown in Fig. 4,said core in both instances being preferably formed with rounded edges.The yoke 9 preferably is thickened on its upper surface, as indicated at12, adjacent to the trunnions 11, so as to provide a strong bearing forsaid trunnions. The lower portion of said yoke preferably is cut upwardon an incline from its rear to its forward end, as shown clearly in thedrawings, the outer portions of said yoke being preferably rounded, soas to prevent the formation of sharp corners.

The shaft member B preferably comprises a shaft-iron 14, which issecured to the shaft in any suitable manner, such as by means of boltsor nails. At its rear end the shaftiron preferably is provided with anenlarged head, (designated generally by 15.) The head 15, whichpreferably is formed in one piece, is shaped so as to produce anapproximately semicircular guard-flange 16, forming an inner socket,which depends from the head and fits snugly around the forward end ofthe yoke 9, so as to perform the threefold function of preventing theshaft from being displaced rearwardly, concealing the yoke 9, andprotecting it from dirt and rain. The head 15 in rear of theguard-flange 16 is formed with a downwardly and rearwardly curved tongue17, which preferably is scoopshaped and is bent on a curve approximatelyconcentric with the semicircular guardflange 16. It will thus be seenthat with this arrangement of parts two substantially concentric socketsare formed within the end. of the shaft member, and when the shafts areraised into vertical position the scoop-shaped tongue is adapted to befitted down between the forward end of the yoke 9 and the core 10, sothat when the shafts are lowered into horizontal position thetongue 17slides around the core 10 until its lower rear end lies. underneath thecore and said corerests within the outer socket, which is formed by thetongue 17, so as toprevent the shafts from being withdraw accidentallyin a horizontal direction from the axle member A. The head 15 inadditionto the guard-flange 16 and scoop-shaped tongue 17 is also formed with arearwardly-extending protecting-web 18, which when a circular core 10 isemployed is preferably scoop-shaped, so as to fit down upon the'core 10when the shafts are in vertical position and to cover the upper end ofsaid corewhen the shafts arein horizontal position. When, however, asegmental core, such as shown in Fig. 4, is employed, theprotecting-web. 18. may be flat .or of any other shape suitable forcovering the core 10 when the shafts are in horizontal position.

It will be understood that, if desired, lubricating-grease can beapplied to the core 10 and yoke 9, as well as to the tongue 17,guardflange 16, and under side of protecting-web 18, so that all theseparts will cooperate readily together and will permit an easy upand downmovement of the shafts in driving, it being tongue 17 Will hold'thelubricant against the under portion of the core 10 and that theguard-flange 16 and protecting-web 18. will serve to prevent the entryof dirt and rain from the upper side of the coupling.

The improved means which I employ for holding the members A and B of thecoupling yieldingly together, so as to prevent rattling thereof whenthey become worn, as well as to hold the shafts in vertical positionwhen the vehicle is not in use, preferably comprises a flat spring 20,the rear end of which rests upon the cross-piece 7 and is formed with anopenended slot 21 to fit around the rear end 2 of the axle-clamp 1 and aperforation 22 to receive the threadedend 3 of'the clamp 1. Atitsforward end the spring 20 is bent upward, so as to provide a freeresilient portion which bears against the rear edge of the protectingweb18 of the head 15, the extreme upper end of said spring '20 being bentslightly back- Ward to form a lip 23, which causes the spring to flexbackward when the shaft member B is inserted outwardly into the axlemember A. As before explained, the function of the spring 20 is to pressthe shaft member B forunderstood that the scoop-shaped Ward with respectto the axle member A, so as to prevent undue rattling of said members inthe event that they should become slightly worn. Furthermore, the shapeof the rear edge of the web 18 is such that when the shafts are pushedupward into vertical position without withdrawing them from theirengagement with the axle member B the spring 20 will serve to hold themin their vertical position, as will be apparent.

'The coupling of this invention is strong, simple, durable, andinexpensive in construction, as well as thoroughly efficient in.operation'.

Wh at is claimed is 1. A thill-coupling comprising a yoke, a core, ascoop-shaped tongue adapted to. fit between the yoke and core, asemicircular guard-flange concentric to the scoop-shaped tongue, and aprotecting-web to cover thev 2. A thill-coupling comprising an. axle-.clamp, a yoke connected with said axlecl amp, a core havingtrunnionsengagingsaid yoke, a shaft-iron having a. head a scoopshapedtongue connected. with said head and adapted to fit between the yokeandcore, a

guardflange connected withsaidhead, andaa protecting-web eonnected'withsaid'head.

23-. A thill-coupling comprising an axleclamp, a yoke connected with.said: axle.-

clamp, a core carried by said yoke, a shaft-- iron having a headprovided with a scoopshaped tongue to engage the yoke, a protecting-webto cover the core, and a spring connected with said axle-clamp andbearing against said protecting web for the purposes set forth.

4. A thill-coupling comprising an axle member anda shaft member, ayokeextending from one of said members and a core mounted therein, theother member engaging the core and straddling the yoke.

-5. A thill-coupling comprising a shaft member and an axlemember, one ofsaid members having a yoke extending therefrom, a core therein, andtrunnions extending from thecore and withinthe yoke, the other memberengaging the core and adapted to straddle the yoke.

6. A thill-eoupling comprising an axle member and a shaft member, one ofsaid members having a yoke extending therefrom and a core therein andspaced therefrom, and the other member being adapted to straddle theyoke and having substantially concentric sockets for receiving the coreand yoke respectively.

7. A thill-coupling comprising an axle member and a shaft member, one ofsaid members having a yoke extending there-.

I IS

core and yoke respectively, and resilient means for exerting a constantpressure upon the socketed member to prevent rattling.

8. A chill-coupling comprising an aXle member and a shaft member, one ofsaid members having a yoke extending there from and a core therein andspaced therefrom, and the other member being adapted to straddle theyoke and having substantially concentric sockets for receiving the coreand yoke respectively, a Web projecting In testimony that I claim theforegoing as I 5 my own I have hereto afiixed my signature 1n thepresence of two wltnesses.

LLOYD W. WARD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES GOULD, WINNIE LILLrAN TRASK.

